


Someone There For You

by leolli



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alpha Derek, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, First Kiss, First Time, M/M, NO rape, Physical Abuse on Stiles side pre-fic, Slow Build, Stiles is a little OOC at times, and so you know, but the guy's three years of trauma to get over so cut him some slack, derek is still a werewolf
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-01-13
Updated: 2014-10-17
Packaged: 2018-01-08 16:08:11
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 18,615
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1134732
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/leolli/pseuds/leolli
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>So he makes a decision, starting the car he goes back to the end of the park where he found the boy, when the kid isn’t there anymore, he starts to rethink this idea but circles the park one more time.<br/>That’s when he sees him at the end of the street opposite to the park, Derek slows the car to a stop near the teen and lurches himself across the sits to open the door.</p><p>“Get in.”<br/>---<br/>Or the one where Stiles' life was hell until he tried to steal from Derek.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Derek’s mind is not truly present today the full moon tonight has his wolf side on edge and the anniversary of the fire that killed almost all his family tomorrow has his human side also on edge, that’s the only excuse he has to not noticing when someone takes his wallet on the time it took him to go put the hotdog wrapper in the trash and come back (and he thought a walk in the park would calm him down, like he's ever that lucky) if it was any other day he would probably cancel the cards and let it go but he has the movers phone number in his wallet and he needs it to get his stuff to the new house, so Derek inhales deeply to get the scent of the last person to touch the park bench where he left his stuff and follows it.

The scent takes him to the other end of the park the one closer to the preserve, the place is almost deserted except for a guy around Derek's height with his back to him, Derek also notices his wallet on the guy’s hands, he was thinking about getting his wallet and take the thief to the police, but maybe he’ll also scare the guy a little before giving him to the proper authorities.

He sneaks on the guy and in a swift move grabs him by the throat and pushes him back against a large tree on his left side, only then does Derek looks up to the guy’s face and the good feeling of getting a little revenge on the person who robbed him vanishes. The kid (because this boy can’t be more than 16) is absolutely terrified, with a big, old red bruise in is right cheek, a cut on his upper lip, his honey eyes wide and shaking and his heart rate going at it like crazy.

“H-how? You… but I… I’m so sorry.” the kid says startled.

“And you think saying sorry will make stealing okay?” Derek growls but relaxes the hold on the boy’s throat.

“N-no, stealing is always wrong I know that, but it was just so easy… and you’d already paid for your food, I didn’t think it would be that bad. I know I shouldn’t have stolen money, should’ve kept to food… it was just so tempting, you got up and it was just there.” The teen pauses for a moment “How did you even found me, I’m 100% sure I was gone before you even got to the trashcan?” As he spoke his heartbeat went back to normal even ending the sentence in an accusatory tone.

“Are you seriously accusing me of catching you?” Well for all the frail and weak the kid looks at least he has guts.

“No-o, of course not. I’m really sorry, please just take the wallet there’s no need to beat me up.” The boy says bringing the wallet up in Derek’s direction, heart rate up again and this time his whole body starts shaking.

All fight leaves Derek at those words he takes his hand out of the kid’s throat and watches as the kid relax a little but turns his head down, hand still up. Derek takes the wallet from the teen’s hand and from the inside grabs all the one hundred and ten bucks he has in it.

“Look I’m not going to beat you, I thought about it before I saw you but now I don’t think I’d ever do it. Just take this and stay out of trouble.” Derek says offering the kid the money.

At that the boy looks up surprised, he looks at Derek’s face for a total of 5 seconds before taking the money “I-… Thank you.”

Derek turns back and walks out of the park, back to the side where he left his car, all the way with this feeling of wrongness for letting the boy there without doing nothing, inside him the wolf scratches at the surface with the need to protect and help this defenseless person how seems to have gone through hell and back making his human side feel even worst, but what could he do? It was obvious the kid didn’t have anyone or if he had, those would be the ones he was running from and if Derek called the police he would probably still run, Derek sighs and tries to stop his thoughts without much success.

When he gets inside the Camaro a little voice in is head who sounds a lot like Laura says _'are you really leaving the kid there to fend for himself?' _. And other who sounds like Cora whispers _'what if it was me in that situation wouldn’t you want someone to help me?' _. The true was that could have been Cora, hell that could have been him 7 years ago when the fire happened if he didn’t had Laura back then who knows how he would have ended up.____

So he makes a decision, starting the car he goes back to the end of the park where he found the boy. When the kid isn’t there anymore, he starts to rethink this idea but circles the park one more time.  
That’s when he sees him at the end of the street opposite to the park, Derek slows the car to a stop near the teen and lurches himself across the sits to open the door.

“Get in.” The teen looks at him startled, amber eyes wide again.

“Look if you want the money after all take it, I… I do need it but it’s okay.” The boy says at the same time his hand goes to his pocket.

“No, I don’t want the money just get in.” Derek growls in a rushed tone, this was a bad idea what was he thinking?

“Excuse me but I’ll have to say no, I prefer giving you the money back over getting into a stranger’s car.” And that was the logic answer, Derek knows that but he really just wants to help the kid.

“Look get in and just listen to what I have to said and if you want I’ll leave you by the end of the next street.”

The teen looks that him a bit skeptical “If this is some kind of indecent proposal I can te-”

“It’s nothing like that! Just get in, last offer.” Derek cuts in.

That seemed to do it, the boy passes a nervous hand through his wild brown hair, looks around and gets into the car.

They drove for 2 minutes before the kid spoken.

“Sooo... you just passed the end of the street you should drop me off.” He points out.

“Look kid-”Derek starts only to be stopped by the teen.

“Stiles.” The boy says while wiggling his hands.

“What?” Derek asks a bit perplex.

“Stiles, that’s my name or at least the one I go by. If you are going to murder me at least you should know my name.”

“Okay… Look Stiles first I’m not going to murder you, second if you want I can just drive back and drop you at any street in the city and what I wanted to talk to you about is if you are interested in food and a place to live.” Derek thinks that will decrease the boy's suspicions.

“It depends on want I need to do to get that.” Stiles says still suspicious.

“I just moved back to Beacon and my house is almost finished but I still need some help with it. So painting, assembling furnisher, some hammering, electric and gardening stuff mostly.” All stuff Derek could do himself but it was the only idea he got that he thought this kid would accept.

“And where would I been staying?” The boy says as evenly as before even if the werewolf can feel how apprehensive Stiles really is deep down.

“At my house, it has 3 more rooms beside mine. You even get to choose.” Derek tries to say in an encouraging tone.

“Can I be sincere with you…" Stiles starts but something seems to be bothering him "What’s your name?”

“Derek”

“Can I be sincere with you Derek?” He waits for Derek to nod before continuing “That sounds too amazing to be true, no one is that good and giving of a person, so what is in it for you?”

“The true is, there is nothing in it for me besides finish my home earlier.” He stops and looks at the boy’s eyes for a second “Around the time I was your age something happened to me and if I didn’t have my sister there to help me maybe I would have ended like you, I just think you deserve someone to help you too.”

After that Stiles is quiet and since he doesn’t ask Derek to turn back and drop him the werewolf takes that as a yes and drives home.

When they get into the woods the teen starts getting agitated again. “Oh my god! You’re going to murder me.”

“What the hell are you talking about Stiles, I’m taking you to my house.” Derek growls, getting sick of people thinking he's some sort of serial killer, that’s just the way his face goes okay!

“No! You’re taking me into the woods there’s nothing in the woods besides trees. The only house here is the burned down…” His voice dies down as they stop in front of what used to be the burned down shell of the Hale’s house which has been reconstructed by Derek with less one floor, a more modern look and a new garage which is also his woodshop.

“Okay, I’m sorry for that, I didn’t know that the Hale mansion had been reconstructed and a rich guy who obviously doesn’t need me to help at all had bought it.” Stiles states before getting out of the car.

Derek does the same before muttering “I didn’t buy it, and I do need your help.”

“For course you don’t need my help you can hire qualified personal, what do you mean you didn’t bought it?” He doesn’t give Derek time to answer before he answering it himself “Oh my god, you’re Derek Hale!”

“Yes, I’m Derek Hale and you now that because?” He knows the fire must have been big news at the time but the kid should’ve been 9 around then.

“My dad… he was the sheriff, well deputy at the time and I remember seeing the case file of the fire for months in the table, he didn’t seem to believe the fire was an accident…”

Derek tries to remember who was the sheriff’s deputy then and he thinks it was this nice guy with light eyes who kept him company until Laura got to the station, he doesn’t remember his name but it’s obvious for the tone of Stiles’ voice that he loved his father, but Derek can also smell the sadness coming from Stiles in waves, something happened to this kid’s dad that much is obvious.

“Stiles, did something happened to him, to your father I mean? Is that why you are on the streets?” Derek asks before thinking.  
The boy’s heart beat trips and Derek felt a deep urge to hug the boy but lets it slide.

“I don’t really want to talk about it. So are we going in or not? I always wanted to know how this house was on the inside.” Stiles says obviously changing the subject but Derek doesn’t feel like prying right now, maybe later when Stiles feels more comfortable around him, so he goes up the 3 steps to the porch and opens the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my first Teen Wolf fic, hope you guys like it. It's also unbeta so all mistakes are mine, if you like the story enough and would like to beta it for me come talk to me on [tumblr](http://nerdyangelofthelord.tumblr.com/ask) I'll be eternally thankfull to you.  
> I know the beginning is a bit like [Something Borrowed ](http://archiveofourown.org/works/1118930/chapters/2254126) but I already talked with Skylar63 and everything is fine and even though she didn't ask me to edit it I did it anyway to make everyone more comfortable.  
> Hugs and kisses and remember Kudos = Love


	2. Chapter 2

Stiles freezes the moment he’s inside the house. He was so right this house is a mansion; the first thing he sees after getting inside is the gigantic staircase that gives access to the first floor, to his left is an entrance without a door to what he assumes is the living room, he sees the back of a big dark blue couch and also what he thinks is a love seat in the same color of course the massive LCD screen on the wall is a dead giveaway that that is the living room.  
At his right is another entrance also without a door this one to the kitchen (and what a kitchen) it’s like the ones on magazines with the big island in the middle and what he thinks is two of those bar stools at the opposite end, he always dreamed of having one of those kitchens, it was his favorite part of the house since it was also were he used to spend a lot of time besides his room.  
His mom loved to bake and spent a lot of time teaching Stiles, he also was the one to prepare most of the meals after she passed. 

That’s when Derek decides to interrupt his trip down memory lane “You can go up and choose any room you want besides the master bedroom, that’s mine. I also already gave the first hand of paint in what was supposed to be Laura’s room but if you want it it’s fine but it’ll stay purple.”

Laura must be Laura Hale, the only other person to survive the fire if Stiles remembers correctly, Stiles isn’t going to take the room Derek has decide to make for his sister… he’s more of a blue kind of guy anyway.  
“Thanks, but I think I’ll go for another one.”

“Feel free to choose, the other two are unpainted I’ll even let the choice of the color to you but since the purple one is the only one with access to the balcony you could want it.” Derek seems more relax now and less grumpy as well, maybe Stiles wasn’t the only one nervous about this arrangement, not that Derek had any right to be nervous this was his idea.

“I’ll be happy with anything that puts a roof over my head.” He says already at the top of the stairs. 

There’s a small hall that goes from left to right it’s longer on the right so Stiles decides to start there.  
There are three doors on this side, one on the right wall which Stiles quickly discovers is a bathroom. Both doors on the left wall lead to bedrooms the one closer to the end is bared with the walls painted purple and a double door to the balcony, Laura’s room he gathers. The other one has enough furniture disassembled against one wall to fill three rooms, the wood looks expensive maybe mahogany or something like that it also seems to be worked by hand with all this little details mostly around some kind of flower, they’re amazing an it takes Stiles a while to leave this room, when he does, he goes straight to the last door at the end of the left hall ignoring the only other door before. 

This must be Derek’s room it’s bigger than the others and there’s a king’s size bed at the middle by the wall, the wood is also worked on this one and Stiles notices what seems to be a wolf’s story along it, the wolf running, the wolf jumping, the wolf hunting… and at the headboard the work shows the moon cycles, it’s the most beautiful wood work the teen has ever seen the craftsman o did it is a genius. After admiring it for a couple of minutes Stiles looks around the rest of the room, the door on his right goes to a private bathroom, on the other side of the room there’s another door this one gives access to one of those closet rooms which Stiles decides to explore . It’s only when he’s going through the never ending collecting of black and grey henleys Derek has that occurs to him that he shouldn’t be here so he leaves in a worry and goes straight to the room he previously ignored, this one is exactly like the other two; four walls and one window, is totally bared and still unpainted, Stiles decides at that moment that this is his room for the time being.

\------

He goes down to find Derek who is in the kitchen on his cellphone signaling Stiles to wait. The talk seems to be about the delivery of a mattress and Derek doesn’t seem very happy about it, he decides to tune it out and look around. Now he can see a round table with four chairs behind the island and a door on the right end possibly the way to the garage or the basement.  
The kitchen is pastel and green like the entry of the house transpiring a calm feeling that Stiles really likes, this probably isn’t how the old Hale house used to be but he thinks whoever architected the new one did a great job.

That’s the moment Derek puts is phone down and turns to Stiles “So did you find a room to your likening?”

“Yup, the one on the left before yours.”

“Good, that makes it easy. We can paint it today and move the furniture by the end of the day, what color would you like for it?” Derek asks.

“Blue.” Stiles answers.

“Okay…” Derek pauses and his eyebrows frown a little as he seems to think “You go take a shower and change clothes while I make some lunch, then we can go buy the paint and come back here.”

“That sounds all fine and dandy but I don’t have any other clothes.” Stiles resolves to point out.

“I’ll give you some off mine, just go.” Stiles doesn’t need to be told twice, he misses showering it’s been almost a week since the last time he got to feel warm water on his skin and he would every much like too again. 

So he goes up, starts to shower and thinks more about why Derek is doing this. He seems nice and all but serial killer would be a better explanation even if Stiles can’t really see Derek as a murder, he did went through a tragedy that could make him sympathize with Stiles but he doesn’t now Stiles story… maybe he’s just bored and wanted some company or maybe this is more a My Fair Lady kind of thing and he thinks he can make Stiles into a proper gentleman , but Stiles already knows how to talk and write better than most thank you very much, doesn’t need some rich snob for that… and that’s just the stupidest theory he could ever have after thinking someone as hot as Derek would want to jump him.

So Stiles ended the shower, dressed the clothes Derek left him which dark and were too big on him and went down to eat more and better than he can remember. The rest of the day went just like Derek planed they went out, bought the paints and some essentials for Stiles, painted the room (where Derek barked at Stiles for playing with the paint ending up with paint all over both their jeans) waited 3 hours to paint again and by 10pm the furnisher was in the room, they ordered a pizza then and Derek made Stiles sleep in his bed while he took the couch since a freshly painted room can be toxic or whatever.

\------- 

Stiles can’t remember the last time he felt this comfy, he just wants to go back to sleep forever the sheets are so soft and smell so good like… someone he knows… DEREK, Stiles’ mind provides waking Stiles so completely he almost jumps out of the bed, that’s when the previous day comes back to him and he remembers why he’s sleeping on the other man’s bed, calming himself up he goes to the bathroom. A couple of minutes later, after exiting the room, he tries to listen to any sign of life in the house, he can hear someone in the kitchen so he follows the sound.  
Derek is by the stove shirtless with his back to the teen and if Stiles wasn’t sure about going both ways before, now he would be, that’s a fine specimen and the small triskelion tattoo by his shoulder blades makes it even better and if just by looking at his back he’s drooling no one can blame Stiles’ brain from shutting down when Derek turns to him. Stiles must be dying in an alley and is mind decided to conjure up a Greek God to ease his passing, yup that’s it.

“Eggs?” Derek says pointing to the scrambled eggs in the frying pan.

“uhh-sure.” Stiles brain seems to be up and running again, he just has to avoid looking directly at Derek’s body, his poor teenage brain can’t take so much attractiveness.

“I was thinking we could finish painting Laura’s room after breakfast and move the furniture in the afternoon.” Derek voices before taking two plates from the cupboard, dividing the eggs and setting both plates in the island by the stools, he sits in one and gesture for Stiles to take the other which Stiles does.

“That sounds acceptable.” Stiles replays in an amusing tone and starts to eat.

They eat in silence for all of three minutes before Stiles can’t take it anymore, if he doesn’t talk his mind will wonder back to thoughts he’s trying to keep shoved down.

“So you and your sister are moving back to Beacon Hills?” Stiles says more to fill the silence than anything else.

“No, just me, Laura doesn’t like being here for long periods of time.” He wasn’t expecting that answer, the house is too big for just one person, maybe Derek really just wanted some company.  
Stiles can also understand Laura’s side he probably wouldn’t want to come back here too in her place, it’s a mystery to him how Derek can, so he nods.

“So why rebuild the house why not just buy a smaller one with a guests room, that isn’t actually in the middle of nowhere if it’s only for you and occasionally Laura?”

“Because this has always been the only place I felt at home and since I had the means to rebuild it I did and the fact that it’s in the middle of nowhere makes it much more appealing to me, it’s peaceful out here.” Mystery solved, not much of a mystery if I’d really thought about it, this place may bring some painful memories to the Hales but there must also bring a lot of good ones too, it probably depends on what side you prefer to look.

“All right.” He should probably ask Derek now if he can go out later in case he needs to make an escape plan if Derek says no. 

“So I was thinking if it’s okay with you can I go out after we end painting? I promise I’ll be back before noon, I’m not running aw-“ Stiles starts to ramble before Derek cuts in.

“Stiles, it’s fine calm down you can go wherever you want, I’m not your keeper and you aren’t my prisoner. Think of this like a job but instead of money you get room and board, so as long as you do the work we planned you’re free to do whatever you want.” 

“Oh, thanks. I’ll be back before noon anyway.” That’s… much better than what Stiles had in mind, even if he didn’t have any concrete idea of what this was. But Derek said he wanted to help him and giving someone a job is helping, room and board is much better than money there’s no way this kind of small house jobs could pay him enough to get a motel and food for more than 2 days.

Derek hums and goes back to his breakfast, Stiles looks at him for a while, he seems sad today even his tone of voice was sad this morning unlike the grumpy of yesterday, Stiles wants to ask what’s wrong, wants to help Derek in some way which doesn’t make sense since he can’t even help himself, how could he help Derek? Better to give up the idea and just eat.

After they finish eating Stiles does the dishes and cleans the kitchen while Derek gets the paint, it makes Stiles feel like he’s actually earning his stay here doing small things besides what Derek categorizes as work.  
They go up and paint the room, it takes them less than half an hour probably because Stiles didn’t joked around with the paint this time, he’s too on edge for it, the more time passes the less his mind keeps quiet, he can’t continue to ignore his real problems for much more time.  
As soon as they end Stiles gets his hoodie and goes for the door, he only stops because Derek calls his name.

“Stiles?” He hears Derek call from upstairs.

“Yes?” He calls by the end of the stairs looking up to Derek.

“I’m going into town too, if you want I can drive you? I just have to clean up here first.” It’s a nice offer but Stiles can’t wait, it may be too late if he does.

“Thanks, but I prefer to go now if you don’t mind. Maybe I’ll find you there later, we can come back together.” He rushes the answer so he can get out.

“Yeah, sure.” Derek mumbles.

“Bye Derek.” Stiles says getting out the door without waiting for Derek’s reply.

He just hopes he’ll still get there in time…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know the beginning of this chapter is a little boring but I just wanted to lay out Dereks house I hope the end is enough to let you guys wanting more.  
> Still in desperate need of a beta so if you're interested just go to my [tumblr](http://nerdyangelofthelord.tumblr.com/ask).  
> Hugs and kisses and remember Kudos = Love  
> bye


	3. Chapter 3

After they finished painting Derek could feel Stiles on edge so he tried to offer him a ride, but the kid was too anxious to wait, may as well, today is the day Derek despises the most he wouldn’t be good company anyway.  
Since he still has to go to the florist before the cemetery he straightens everything up and takes a quick shower before changing and heading out.  
By the time he gets to the cemetery it’s been more than an hour since Stiles left, he leaves the flowers at the graves and asks for they forgiveness even if he knows he doesn’t deserve it.  
Having already talked to Cora this morning he decides to call Laura, the call doesn’t even last half the way from the graves to the gate, he understands her side, since she found out Derek was somewhat responsible for the fire she doesn’t know how to communicate with him, he doesn’t think she hates him quite the opposite, she acts like she failed Derek in some way which makes Derek feel even worst, he was the one responsible she shouldn’t feel guilty for his mistakes.

He’s almost at the gate when he picks on someone sobbing while talking, what would be normal in a graveyard, what isn’t normal is that Derek knows this voice, it’s Stiles' voice and as he walks in the voice’s direction he tries to understand what it’s saying.

“They’re going *sob* to turn the machine off mom *sob* they’re going to just give up on him even though his brain seemed to respond to the new treatment.” Stiles stops there to breathe, a few more sobs leave his throat before he tries to speak again “And all because his insurance ended this month, what kind of Hospital does that! Kill someone just because they can’t get more money.” That’s when the boy lets it go completely and restarts crying, Derek thinks it will be better to give Stiles his privacy back and walks away.

The words echo around Derek’s head and he decides to stop by the hospital before going home. On the hospital he approaches the only person he knows there, Melissa McCall, the mother of one of his betas and nurse at Beacon Hills Hospital.

“Hi Melissa.” She jumps startled before turning to him, maybe he should be more careful when announcing himself to humans. 

“Oh, hi Derek! What are you doing here? Is everything okay with Scott?” Her heart picks up a bit, it’s a comprehensible reaction since the only times they’ve talked was because of her son Scott and sometimes Isaac who is living with them, but Derek had asked his betas to stay away this week even before Stiles showed up. He usually likes to be alone around this time of the year and since they all have perfect control they don’t really need him on a full moon.

“Yes, actually you’d know better I haven’t seen him in 4 days, the last time I talked to him was through texts last night, but that’s not why I’m here.” He pauses looking for the right words “You wouldn’t happen to know anything about this boy, his name is Stiles and he must have been here today and got some bad news about someone interned here, probably someone in a coma who’s going to get their machine turned off?” That’s all he got, he has a suspicion of whom this person might be, not 100% sure on that yet. 

“You mean Sheriff Stilinski's kid?” And like that his suspicions are confirmed. 

“Yes.” If what Stiles told him yesterday was true and from what he heard today at the graveyard it makes sense.

“That poor kid has been here every day for the last 5 days. The insurance run off and now the people here are just finishing the paperwork to turn the only thing keeping his father alive off, despite the surprising response his brain activity gave to the new treatment.” Melissa seems disgusted just by saying the words, so she doesn’t agree with it either, who in their perfect mind would?

“It’s inhuman! You know, he used to be Scott’s best friend before my ex-husband pulled some strings to get Scotts custody, I remember how much 9 year-old Scott cried when he found out he couldn’t see Stiles anymore.” She smiles fondly at the memory even if it’s not such a happy one. If they really were that close before that’s a good thing maybe he can start introducing Stiles to the pack by Scott but his thoughts are cut when Melissa continues.

“If you’re thinking about turning the boy, you should go for it he does need all the help he can get.” That’s a first, the true is Melissa actually accepted the fact Scott was a werewolf better than Scott but he didn’t think she would ever agree with him turning someone, much less suggest it. 

“No, I’m not going to turn him but I’m trying to help. Can you tell me what I’ve to do to talk with the head of this hospital?”

Melissa nods.

\---------

Derek has already ate when Stiles gets to the house, his eyes red from crying and a posture that screams defeat, Derek directs him to where a plate of food is waiting for him. And even though he wants to say something which is a weird feeling for him, he doesn’t know what. So he stays silent, waiting for Stiles to eventually talk, when that doesn’t happen he calls Stiles to move the furnisher to the room.  
It’s strange after spending the previous day listening to Stiles' sarcastic remarks and seeing him move around with a smile on his face to watch him now quiet with his head down working more on autopilot then actually present. For some reason Derek’s wolf doesn’t like it, not that Derek himself is happy about it but his wolf in not usually this invested in anything even if the wellbeing of others is a common instinct in werewolves, especially alphas.

There is something very important that Derek should tell Stiles, it would probably make the kid feel better but he may not like it either since Derek went prying where he shouldn’t, so he keeps quiet about it and asks Stiles if he what’s to help take the furniture left in Cora’s room so they can start painting it today. For a moment Stiles picks up, his curiosity making him ask all kinds of questions.  
 _‘Who’s Cora?’ ‘My younger sister.’ ‘Seriously? I thought only you and Laura survived the fire.’ ‘So did we, until two years ago.’ ‘So family reunion, awesome, did she tell you how she survived?’ ‘Yes, she was small enough to fit through a window and then she found a pac-family who took care of her.’ ‘Oh, that’s… that’s nice.’ ___

And that was all it lasted before Stiles went quiet again, and maybe the questions were annoying but the silence now present was so much worst.  
Derek let Stiles choose the takeout in another attempt to cheer the boy, it kinda of worked until after the Chinese food containers were already in the trash but by then Stiles announced he was going to bed with the excuse he wanted to get used to the room before going to sleep.

Less than 10 minutes later Derek turns the TV off and leaves the living room to go up to bed, he’s not yet on the stairs when he catches Stiles crying, it’s a quiet sound the kid is probably trying to muffle it with a pillow but Derek’s uncanny hearing can hear it like if they were both in the same room, Derek thinks it’s better to let the kid be, tomorrow everything will look better… and that’s his opinion until one hour later when he’s been in bed for more than half an hour and can’t focus on anything except Stiles sobs.  
He’s can’t take it anymore, he gets out of bed with the intention of going to Stiles’ room but shy’s away when confronted with the door. He thinks of Stiles and how the kid doesn’t deserve to be in this kind of pain, Derek’s being stupid. He knocks on the door and calls Stiles name. The sobs brusquely stop and there’s movement inside the room, he can hear Stiles heartbeat going up but no answer comes, so he knocks again when there’s still no answer Derek opens the door.  
Stiles’ sitting on the bed, covers by his waist and pillow in his lap, he’s looking at Derek with puffy red eyes. He looks devastated and the need to protect comes over Derek again, he sits on the bed facing Stiles, dropping his hand over the kid’s for a reassuring touch before asking.

“Do you want to talk about it?” For a moment it looks like Stiles will fall into tears again but he seems to regain control at the last second.

“I don’t want to bore you with my problems Derek, you’re already doing enough for me.”

“That’s exactly why you should tell me so I can help you more.” He offers.

The look Stiles gives him is baffled, like Derek is a puzzle he can’t solve “Thanks, but there’s nothing you can do to help me with this.”

“You’ll never know unless you tell me and even if I can’t help, it will be good for you to talk about it.”

“Even if I wanted to tell you, I don’t know where to start.” Stiles says looking down.

“As in everything, start at the beginning.” He tries one more time.

“The beginning? That’s… I wasn’t even 15 at the time this all started.” He says like it was a long time ago and maybe it was, he has calculated Stiles age as 16 when they met but after getting a good look of Stiles its possible for the kid to be older, then again when you’re suffering time does seem to go slower.

“That’s fine, start there anyway.” Derek says squeezing Stiles’ hand to reassure the boy.

Stiles takes a deep breath before starting “Okay… So a week before I turned 15 my dad got shot in the line of duty, the bullet tore into his throat without killing him or severing his spine, in that sense he got lucky but…” Stiles stopped for a moment probably to steady himself “but the internal bleeding prevented the air for getting to his brain. I remember how they’re worried it would cause mental damage, but after the surgery everything seemed fine we just had to wait for him to wake up, except-” Stiles takes a deep breath again “except he never did.” The tears roll down Stiles eyes and he uses his hands to clean his face before looking at Derek. 

“And that’s how you ended up on the streets.” The werewolf assumes, he doesn’t have to ask Stiles for his mother, he knows she’s dead and he doesn’t think the teen would be homeless if he had another option, but he must be wrong because Stiles shakes his head.

“No. That’s when I was put in a foster home, I was there for a total of four months before some family two towns away wanted to adopt me, which didn’t make sense to me at the time, I was 15 usually people prefer younger kids and most of all I didn’t want to be adopted, my dad could wake up at any moment, I had-have a family I don’t even know how I as up for adoption. So imagine my surprise when after I said no they took me in anyway. I just thought ‘Okay, I’m going to play nice until my dad wakes up’, but as it turned out the Bates were the ones not playing nice.

After one week I found out the reason why they wanted me so much was because of the savings account my dad made in my name for college, it has enough money for me to pay all four years and then some, only I can touch it but only when I’m 18, the Bates were trying to persuade a jury to let them have control over it… That’s when I tried to run away for the first time, was also the first time they beat me up. Then it became a thing every time a jury denied them or I tried to escape they would throw me around, last year I almost got a lawyer to help me get emancipated, that’s when they took me out of school and started locking my room when they went out. I gave up then, I’d just wait for my dad to wake up and get me out of there. That was until last week when the call came, she was trying to be quiet but I got the gist, my dad’s insurance had just concluded an it was a matter of time before they turned the machine off, I knew I’d to get out of there if I wanted to see my father, so I tried one last time, and let me tell you getting out of the fourth floor with just a couple of sheets it’s not easy… and that’s how I ended up on the streets.”

The more the kid talked the more this fury grew inside of Derek he could feel the wolf surfacing, closing his eyes to not let the red show he tries to calm himself. What the hell is wrong with the world for kids to get placed in such shitty homes, didn’t anyone do their job anymore?! Maybe it would have been better if Stiles had actually been homeless, the kid was smart he probably wouldn’t have been on the streets for long, he sure wouldn’t have spent more than one hour with this Bates family if Derek had known him back there. 

“That’s...” awful, he didn’t say “Why didn’t you go to the cops? Why didn’t you tell someone?”

“Don’t you think I tried? But I was just this sad kid who couldn’t accept his dad was in a coma and they’re this perfect couple who just wanted to help me. No one ever believed me!” His voice is getting wetter and his eyes are full of tears again. “And now I’m going to lose the only person alive that I love, the only one who really cared about me and loved me back, and all because I’m two months too young to touch my own fucking account!”

“This is not your fault Stiles none of it is, you have to know that.” It’s important for Derek the kid understood this, he knows what real fault is like and this kid didn’t have any.

“Doesn’t really matter, today was the day they told me how much time my dad has left, it’s two days if you want to know. Two more days and my dad will be dead.” The defeat expression resurfaces on Stiles and Derek can’t look at it anymore.

“No he won’t.” He doesn’t even registered saying it until Stiles whispers a very surprised 

“What?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I rushed this chapter a little because I’m going to be busy the next 3/4 days and I wanted to update it this week but without anyone else to read it first things may have slipped through, I hope you like it anyway .  
> Hugs and kisses and remember Kudos = Love


	4. Chapter 4

What does Derek mean with ‘No he won’t’ how would he know? If he’s trying to cheer Stiles that’s an awful way to do it. “Derek thanks for trying to cheer me up but lying doesn’t really help in this case.”

“Stiles, that’s actually it, I’m not lying. I wasn’t going to tell you, I didn’t want you to know it was me but… I went by the hospital today, and I am now the one paying for your father’s hospital bills.” His tone his calm and warm but Stiles feels like someone just throw a bucket of cold water over him, this doesn’t make any sense how can it be true? How would Derek even know? He jumps away from Derek on the bed.

“I-… How did you know about my dad?”

“I heard you talking in the cemetery today and then I went to the hospital to find out more.”

That doesn’t really help either, was Derek following him? This time he jumps out of bed getting closer to the door but his eyes stay on Derek who is now also up. “And may I ask what were you doing in the cemetery?” He asks calculating what to do depending on Derek’s answer.

“Stiles, whatever you’re think I can tell you’re wrong. I went there to leave some flower… today is the anniversary of the fire. I’s leaving when I heard you. The way you’re reacting is why I didn’t want to tell you. You’d go there tomorrow find out everything was okay and never know it’s me, the money isn’t a big deal for me and I don’t agree with ending someone’s life just because you can’t profit from them. ” Derek tries to explain.

“So you didn’t follow me?”

“No.”

“And you’re just going to pay for it out of the good of your heart without asking for anything in return?”

“Yes, Stiles.” He may be lying, but Stiles has felt he could trust Derek since the moment they met and now more than ever he wants to believe him, believe that he can actually have this, that not only does he get to keep his father he also found someone who truly cares about what has happened to him.

Putting all his doubts aside he runs to Derek wrapping his arms around the man’s neck hugging him close.

“Thank you.” He whispers in Derek’s ear, feeling all his weights leave him as a new set of tears rolls down his face.

He feels Derek’s arms hesitate before embracing him. “You’re welcome, now go get some sleep.” Pulling them apart Derek leaves the room.

Stiles cleans the tears with his sleeves and gets into bed. For the first time in a long time Stiles goes to sleep free of worries.

\-----

The next day Stiles is up bright and early, he decides to make breakfast. By the time Derek is up he already finished making the pancakes and cleaning the dishes, he wishes the older man a good morning and asks him to sit down before handing him a plate full of blueberry pancakes and a mug of coffee, Derek thanks him and starts eating, Stiles grabs his plate and joins him.

Stiles is so happy he just wants to talk nonstop but he knows Derek likes the peaceful silence so he keeps quiet even if he can’t help looking at Derek with a smile on his face.  
When Derek catches him he stares at Stiles like the teen is crazy and maybe he’s acting a little on the crazy happy side with the smiling and the humming and the little dance moves he does from time to time but he found out less than 13 hours ago that his dad may still have a chance of coming back to him so he thinks he’s in his rights to be a little crazy.

He was going to ask Derek if he could go to the hospital after breakfast but when Derek asks him to come help end Cora’s room he goes without questioning, he can go to the hospital later, first he has the responsibility of keeping his word to Derek, now more than ever.  
They finish the room around lunch time and Stiles prepares one tuna sandwich for each. Derek finishes his in a worry before telling Stiles he’s going out.

“I’m going out, you can do whatever you want but I’m inviting a…” Derek pauses for a second as if looking for the right word “friend to dinner and would like you two to meet if that’s okay with you?” It didn’t sound like a friend at all, Derek said it like it’s important for Stiles to meet this person, so maybe a girlfriend… or boyfriend, or just another family member Derek forgot to tell Stiles was still alive. Stiles doesn’t know why but in his mind he’d prefer the latest (even if it is the less probable one), and that’s weird…

“Yeah, sure.” He’s all afternoon to do what he wants and it’s not like he can get dinner anywhere else so…

“Okay, I’ll get something to eat befo-” He knows what the older man is going to say so he stops him.

“I can cook.” He knows how to do it and he does so little around here. It’s not like he’ll ever be able to do enough to make up for everything Derek did for him and that way he can warm his way into whomever it is Derek has invited to eat. 

Feeling Derek’s stare from the front door Stiles starts rambling “I like to do it and I’m good at it and we haven’t eaten anything else besides takeout since I’m here and you’ve all this perfectly good ingredients in the fridge so...”

“If you’re sure you want to, fine.” Derek says and opens the door.

“Wait! Are you or your guest allergic to anything?” He wants to make his mother’s special lasagna which has grated almonds and he knows some people are allergic to nuts.

“No, anything else?” 

“Nope. See ya later!”

“See you later Stiles.” Even if he looked annoyed Stiles saw the little smile in Derek’s face before he left and that’s enough to calm him and make him smile in response.

\----

The afternoon goes by in a rush, with confirming that what Derek told him yesterday is true and talking to all the doctors to restart the treatment his dad was when the insurance ended. It’s 5 o’clock before Stiles even knows it and he has to hurry out of the hospital to be sure he can start the food in time for dinner. He hopes whomever it is Derek is bringing to dinner will like him, Derek has been the nicest, kindest, most decent person to Stiles in the last two years and Stiles wants to show Derek how grateful he is for all of this, and until he’s eighteen and can pay Derek back (because he’s going to!) this is the best way he knows how.

\-----

The lasagna has been in the oven for thirty minutes and Stiles is sitting in a stool waiting for it to be ready when he hears the front door open and Derek call.

“Stiles?” He hears another voice murmur something to Derek but he can’t understand what.

“In the kitchen.” He answers back checking the food in the oven, five more minutes and it’s done.

“Can you come here?” He doesn’t bother to answer just closes the oven and walks to the front door.

Derek is standing there, to his right is a smaller guy, probably around Stile’s age, the boy is smiling at Stiles like he knows him and Stiles has a feeling he does too… the warm brown eyes, the uneven jaw. “Scott?”

The boy smiles deeper “Hi Stiles.” He says waving his hand.

“Oh my God! Are you real? Is this real? I thought I’d never see you again.” He looks from Scott to Derek trying to get confirmation that this is indeed real, they’re both smiling at him. While Scott’s is big and open Derek’s is small and private but reaches his eyes like he’s happy and proud of himself but doesn’t want anyone to know. Now Stiles wants to hug both of them but since the last time he hugged Derek the guy fled away after, he chooses to go for Scott.

“Wow man, you really didn’t change.” Scott says before hugging back “Yeah, I thought the same.”

Stiles mind is going one thousand miles an hour, he separates them but his hand stay on Scotts arm. “Dude, how are you here? Shouldn’t you be in Nevada with your dad?” 

“Yeah. About that… after ages of trying to convince him to get back with no results it only took him some big career changing case two years ago to send me packing back to mom.” Even if the result was the one he wanted Scott doesn’t sound very happy about it. 

“God. What a jerk.” And if Stiles remembers correctly Scott’s dad always was an asshole.

“Yeah, but I wanted to come back so it was all for the best. I just couldn’t believe when mom told me what happened to you.”

And before Stiles has to answer he’s saved by the time going off in the kitchen, “Oh, dinner’s ready go wash up and get to the kitchen.”

“Sure dude.” Is Scott’s answer, Derek just hums.

\----- 

Through the dinner Stiles asks Scott all kinds of questions, how he met Derek, where he goes to school, does he prefer batman or superman, giving Scott no space to ask him anything.  
Scott answers everything and at one point tells him how happy he was when Derek went to see him and told him about Stiles, at that Stiles turns to Derek and in an snappy tone declares “You! You knew we knew each other and you didn’t say anything! ” 

Derek shrugs before replying “I thought it would be a nice surprise.”

“You and your surprises are going to give me a heart attack. How did you even know?” 

“Melissa told me.” But how would Scott’s mom tell Derek… Did he know her for the hospital? Maybe when Derek went there to learn about Stiles’ dad… yep, that’s probably it.  
The rest of the dinner went amazingly well, with Stiles talking nonstop and Scott smiling the whole time. It was almost eleven when Scott left, Stiles escorted him to the door before turning to the kitchen to clean everything, only to find everything already done, Derek probably did it when they left to the living room. 

Derek… he was the source of everything good coming back to Stiles life, most of the time the teen couldn’t believe this was real, he was probably dreaming and tomorrow he would wake up in the hell house he’s living the past two and half years. But for now he will indulge in this dream a little more.

Instead of going up to bed he went to find Derek in the couch, the man looked up as Stiles approached him.  
He decide to sit next to Derek so they eyes would be at the same level before smiling.

“Thank you.”

“It was nothing Stiles, I just invited Sco-”

“No.” He paused “Not just for tonight, for everything.” He squeezed Derek’s upper arm as he said it. 

Derek didn’t seem sure of what to say before muttering a soft “You’re welcome.”

Stiles let his hand slide down Derek’s arm before getting up and going to bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this one took so long, but it was my birthday and then my boyfriend's birthday all in the same week. I also didn't pay as much atention to this one as I did to the others but it was taking me to long to update so I'm doing it anyway.  
> Hugs and kisses and remember Kudos = Love


	5. Chapter 5

The next day Scott comes back with the rest of the pack like Derek asked him to.  
Stiles, being Stiles gets along with everyone in the first ten minutes but doesn’t seem to really like Isaac, which Derek finds weird. Out of the three betas in his pack (aside from Scott), Derek thought Isaac would be Stiles favorite (he is friendly, nice and sarcastic even if his humor is darker than Stiles, his past although not the same would probably be the one to bond better with Stiles’…) but his guest seems unfazed by his beta, favoring to talk about comic books with Erica (even if she is a little too blurt and arrogant, and likes to make everything sound sexual somehow) or saying something funny to Boyd and making him smirk (which is a rare sight since unlike Erica, Boyd is mostly silent and his glare only comes second to Derek’s).  
But after three days of watching the five teens interact Derek finally concludes Stiles is just bitter of the friendship Scott and Isaac develop in the last 2 years even if Scott barely has left Stiles’ side since the day they’re reunited, making Derek miss how peaceful and quiet his house used to be.

\-----

Almost a week later Derek finds himself alone with Stiles before dinner time, which only happened once or twice since the boy met the betas.

Derek is reading the last postcard Cora send him, (not wanting to choose between her siblings, his younger sister choose to take a road trip around the country), when Stiles enters the kitchen, probably to start cooking dinner, something he’s done every single day since Derek told him about paying for his father’s treatment.

Not just dinner, lunch and breakfast too… and starting to cook every meal isn’t the only change in Stiles behavior, he’s also taking care of all the cleaning in the house in addition to helping Derek fix the front yard, and if that wasn’t enough for Derek to think the kid his killing himself to please, he’s also been in his best behavior towards Derek, doing everything he asks, never answering back, no more jokes or sarcasm, just this polite and quiet teenager…  
Derek doesn’t like it. He still remember how in the first day Stiles got paint all over his black jeans and when Derek yelled at him, his answer was that at least now Derek had some color on. Now he treats Derek like he’s perfect, like he’s some kind of angel or saint and that’s so far away from the truth it makes Derek’s skin crawl. He’s to put a stop to Stiles’ crazy heroship over him.

“ Stiles, you don’t have to make all the meals every day.” Derek groans tired of repeating himself.

“It’s okay Derek, I like to do it and I don’t do nearly enough around here anyway.” The kids answer doesn’t change much either, but now Derek is sick of it.

“Are you being serious right now? You do everything around here! We had a deal when you came here, you do the work I give you and the rest of the time it’s yours to do what you want, nowhere in there says you’ve to become my house slave. I’m a grown man I can clean my own room or do the dishes when you cook, you need to stop trying to do everything.”

“I’m sorry. I’m just trying to help.” Stiles lowers his head making himself look small. Great, now the kid feels guilty, Derek sighs, his social skills really are nonexistent.

“I know. And you can but with moderation. Unlike what you may believe I can actually cook, so let me do it sometime, and dust the furniture to your hearts content but let me vacuum the floor, you know, split task like people who live together usually do.” He tries being gentle this time.

“But that’s not enough…” Stiles mumbles looking slightly up.

“That’s more than enough Stiles. You work here and you don’t even get money.”

“Yes, I do. You’re paying to keep my father alive!” Finally some fire in the kid even if still is to defend Derek.

“The same father you barely seen this week trying to do everything around here.” He knows it to be true, Stiles missed at least three days this week. He heard the boy call the hospital those days but he’s sure Stiles would prefer to go there in person if he wasn’t so busy trying to be the perfect house guest.

“I-… I went three times and called when I didn’t, I know he’s okay.” Stiles hesitates before continuing “And no, it won’t be enough sharing chores, nothing will ever be enough to pay for everything you did for me Derek! That’s… it takes someone truly honorable to do what you did without getting anything in return.” He’s looking at Derek with such adoration in those beautiful whiskey eyes for all the wrong reasons, Derek is not that person Stiles described, he’s so far from it.

“You’re right Stiles, it does take someone special to do what you describe… but that isn’t me. And you know why? Because the main reason I actually did this, was to make myself feel better. There’s nothing honorable about me, everything I did since I’s around your age was to compensate for the awful person I am. Do you see this house? Do you know why it had to be rebuilt? Why it’s empty? Because of me, the fire was my fault, it’s my fault the people I love are almost all dead, Stiles.”

“What?” His amber eyes wide with confusion, like he can’t believe what Derek is saying. “No… You wouldn’t do that. You wouldn’t set your own house on fire and then rebuilt it, what the hell are you talking about Derek? This doesn’t make any sense.” 

“I may as well have been the one to light the match, since if it wasn’t for me she would never know how to get around the alarms, how to mask her sce-trace. I was seventeen when I met her, Kate Argent, she was the substitute gym teacher and even though her family always hated mine, I thought she was different. I thought it was love… but to her it was just a way to learn more about my family’s weaknesses.” It’s something Derek doesn’t like to talk about but it seems to be the only way Stiles will see him for whom he really is.

“I- Derek that’s awful, but I don’t think it was your fault.” His voice is soft and he reaches with his right hand to comfort Derek, who steps away.

“Yes it was, I knew I could never trust the Argents, that they hated us just for existing, but I wanted to believe that our love was special, that she was different and I got all my family killed! So you see Stiles I’m not as perfect as you think me to be. ” And that’s the true, he was stupid and selfish, not really thinking about any of the possible consequences.

“I don’t see it that way Derek. Maybe you shouldn’t have trusted her, but you’re a teenager and she was an adult, she took advantage of you and she’s the only one to blame, you should stop blaming yourself.” He stops before firmly adding “My opinion of you hasn’t change.”

“Not even if the reason I helped you was because I found you the day before the anniversary of the fire and I was feeling extra shitty about myself so I just tried to make a good deed to compensate?” That’s only partially true, Derek’s wolf got attached and wanted to help Stiles the moment it saw him, but his human side only went along with it because of his guilt. 

“Well, that would make me feel very lucky, for being in the right place at the right time, even if I don’t believe for a second that’s all it was.” Stiles smiles “Now get out of the kitchen, ‘cause I’ve food to cook and you’ve a living room to clean.” And like that Derek knows that everything between them will be fine.

\----

It’s been another week since Derek opened up to Stiles, they finished all the small reparations the house still needed five days ago and Stiles has been looking for a part-time job since then, even after Derek told him he didn’t need to.  
They develop this new routine where after breakfast Derek will drive Stiles to town were the teen will go on his job hunt and Derek will buy what he needs or just go home work on his last order, then around noon he will pick up Stiles at the hospital where the boy is always waiting for him after visiting his father. 

He parks the car waiting for Stiles to exit the building. 

Before he sees him Derek can hear the unusual accelerated heartbeat Stiles has today, something must have happened.  
He’s about to leave the car to find out what when the teen opens the passenger door.

“Hey!” He waves at Derek with a big smile on his face making the werewolf relax, but he’s still too energetic even for Stiles, so something happened but not bad.

“So how was your day? Did the job interview go well?” Because if he’s dad had woken up Stiles wouldn’t be inside the car right now, that Derek knows for sure.

“Oh-yeah, but still nothing.” He says fastening his seat belt. 

“Then what are you all jittery about?” 

That’s when amber eyes turn their full attention to Derek, the teens hands start moving, excitement pouring from Stiles every move “The best thing just happened! Well, not the best thing. The best thing would have been if he waked up, but anyway… most of my dad’s brain activity is back to normal, he stopped needing intubation and ventilation! Ms. McCall told me his CT scan showed an amazing progress to the point he might actually wake up any day now!”

Stiles smile is contagious, Derek can’t help but feel happy for the kid. Stiles deserves it, after all the teen went through he deserves all the happiness in the world and Derek will make everything in his power to make sure he gets it. 

“That’s great, Stiles. What you say we celebrate?” He says starting the car.

“What? How?”

“We can go to that diner with curly fries you’re always talking about.” 

“Oh my God, yes! You’re the best Derek.” 

“Good to know how easy it is to please you.”

“Yeah, give me curly fries and you’ll be on my top favorites forever, even if in your case you’re already there ages ago.”

Something warm blooms in Derek’s chest, he tries not to look to much into it or in the way his wolf almost purrs every time Stiles says something nice to them. 

\----

The diner is actually quite nice, clean and quiet even if its fifties theme and the red booths are a little cliché for Derek’s taste.

They’re sited quickly and don’t wait more that fifteen minutes for their food. Stiles is talking animatedly about some kind of treatment fond in 2002 by some doctor called Baldursdottir, that makes the body go into hypothermia helping comatose patients who survived asphyxia, it’s usually used in the early phase of a coma but one of the doctors thinks it may still help Stiles dad.

Derek recognizes the treatment, someone had told him about it when Peter was in the hospital even if his state was of a vegetative patient instead of a comatose one. Not that that mattered now with Peter dead and buried after all the Alpha debauchery. 

Derek had already paid when a short older lady, with a white apron and a hairnet left the kitchen and walked to their booth.

“Stiles, is that you? Boy, how you’ve grown!” She says to Stiles, back turned to Derek ignoring his very presence.

“Hi! Miss Corbin, how are you?” Stiles answer enthusiastically, recognizing the woman the moment he saw her. 

“I’d be fine if it wasn’t my knee, damn thing is getting cranky after all the hours spent up in that stove. What about you honey? After what happened to your dad, such an awful tragedy.” She pauses for a moment squeezing Stiles’ arm before letting go. “It’s been years since I saw you.”

“Yeah, I’ve been out of town. But now I’m back to stay.” Even with the smile it’s obvious how uncomfortable Stiles is with the subject. 

“That’s good.” She says before turning to Derek, finally acknowledging is presence “And who is this handsome young fella?”

Panic starts to rise in Stiles eyes, Derek can see the teen’s mind trying to conjure up an excuse.

“He’s my umm… mmm…” This is the first time Derek sees Stiles not knowing what to say, but Miss Corbin doesn’t seem to need an answer anymore, the smile erupting the woman’s face is right down predatory and the way her eyes sharpen make Derek cringe inside.

“Oh Honey, it’s fine you don’t have to say it. Will you boys just give me a minute?” She disappears into the kitchen without waiting for an answer.

A few seconds go by before Stiles murmurs “Well, that was awkward.” 

But not as awkward as what happens next, when the lady almost runs out the kitchen door to their booth with the biggest milkshake Derek has ever seen and settles it in the middle of the table with two straws pointing to them.

“I hope you love birds like strawberry.” She says with a now sweet smile before walking away.

He feels his surprised mirrored in Stiles wide eyes and perplex expression.

“Did she just implied we…” Stiles doesn’t finish, embarrassment coloring his face as red as the booth he is sited in.

“Yes, I pretty sure she did.” He answers feeling blood rush to his cheeks as well.

They stare at each other for a moment before Derek pushes the glass softly towards Stiles “You can drink it all, it’s okay.”

Stiles seems to considerate it for a second before shaking his head. “Naah. She did it for both of us it would be insensitive of you to at least not take a sip” A smirk appears on the boy’s face before he continues “besides I’m not going to lose a chance to make the whole diner think I could land someone as hot as you.” He positions the drink at the center of the table again, taking the straw closer to him before nodding at Derek to do the same. 

Derek feels his heart jump against his ribcage hesitating for a moment but takes the offering straw, he barely drinks anything instead focusing on the obscene way Stiles’ mouth works around his own straw. He’s starting to feel too warm and has to put some distance between them leaning against his booth before the glass is half empty.

His wolf protests inside wanting to always be as close as possible to the boy. Derek knows what this means (the extra protectiveness towards Stiles, the happiness when around him, the discontent when he’s away) and he doesn’t want it. His wolf can’t just go and choose a mate now. Specially a teenage boy, eight years younger than Derek, that just got out of an abusive home and needs time to heal. 

The worst part is Derek actually can see were his wolf is coming from, on the short weeks the kid has been with him he’s grown to care for him. Stiles is funny and smart, he’s honest and sincere even if he never shuts up and pushes Derek to his limit but that actually only makes Derek like him more, he will stand for what he believes and his loyalty for the ones he truly cares are the characteristics that makes Derek sure of how special Stiles is.

Derek shakes his head not liking where his thoughts are taking him. 

He doesn’t wait more than a second after Stiles ends the drink to get out of the diner, thanking Miss Corbin before they’re out the door. They drive in silence for the first time since Stiles crazy week of obedience as Derek calls it. 

He can feel Stiles glance at him only to look away seconds later at the same time his heartbeat goes up, Derek eyes stay on the road and for the first time since Derek can remember he wishes he could say something, even if he doesn’t know what exactly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It was so inocent of me to think I'd be able to update two times a week. Yep, I can't to that, I'm so sorry.  
> This chapter was done almost a month ago, but I didn't have time to reread it and correct the mistakes I see (because a lot of them I don't).  
> Also someone offered to beta it and I was waiting for him to reply but something must have happened to him and he wasn't for one week so I'm updating it anyway, because it's been too long since my last chapter and I feel bad for making you guys wait.  
> Hugs and kisses and remember Kudos = Love


	6. Chapter 6

They’re all in the living room watching tv, Scott and Derek to his left in one corner of the couch, Isaac on the floor, while Erica is talking to Boyd on the love seat, when he gets up from Derek’s side to take the takeaway containers to the trash. 

They’re waiting for Allison and Lydia to arrive before choosing a movie, it’s the first time Stiles will meet them, well not Lydia, a couple of days ago while reciting poetry about Allison’s ivory skin Scott did answer Stiles’ question, if the Lydia Alison was in London with was THE Lydia, Stiles one true love since elementary school. But this will be the first time they’ll be introduced and she’ll be forced to acknowledge him, he’s very excited about that but not in the way he thought he’d be. 

Maybe it’s because his mind has been in a different place all afternoon, since Miss Corbin hinted she thought he and Derek were dating, which was ridiculous, him and Derek… He knew Derek was hot, everyone with eyes could see that, and yes Stiles maybe had two or three sex dreams starring the familiar tall, dark and broody but that’s what they were, _sex _dreams. At least that’s what Stiles thought they’re.__

He’s a healthy teenager he’ll have sex dreams about anything that moves! Of course his mind would register a body like Derek’s.

But since the diner Stiles has been reanalyzing everything that goes through his mind about Derek, including the dreams and how couple-ly they actually are, even if they all end up in sex they all start with them doing their usual routine, like they’d be doing the dishes and Derek would be smiling at something Stiles said like he does sometimes nowadays and Stiles would kiss that beautiful smile that should always be there and then… they’d have breath taking sex with Derek gazing into his eyes.

Yeah… there may be some feelings there… he may have a crush on Derek.  
He’s so screwed, and not in a good way.

Or maybe not, this Derek thing will probably fly out of him the moment the strawberry blonde walks past the front door and into his heart again. One unrequired love is all he needs, and at least with Lydia he may still be able to put his fifteen years plan into action, with Derek he’d probably need an fifty years plan and for Derek to suffer a brain damaging accident that would make him think Stiles was actually a dating option.

He’s just ending beating himself down when the doorbell rings, he didn’t even know Derek had a doorbell, everyone just gets in like they live there since the door is only locked when there’s no one in the house and he has a spare key since day 1.

From the kitchen entry he sees Scott answering the door, saying hello’s and pulling a tall brunette into his arms, must be Allison. He dumps the containers still in his hands and joins them at the door.

Scott sees him approaching quickly letting go of the girl and turning her towards Stiles. 

“Stiles this is Allison, my girlfriend as you already know. Allison this is Stiles, my best friend since I was four.” Scott chirpily says with a big dumb smile on his face. 

“Hey.” Allison smiles waving her hand. She’s as beautiful as Scott described, in a white dress and green coat, her curled brown hair framed her soft face, paired with kind brown eyes with an edge of sharpness to them that makes Stiles know this girl could probably go from Disney princess to Xena the warrior princess in 0.5 seconds. 

“Hi!” he waved back with a smile of his own. There’s a cough of someone to his left and the three of them turn to the petite strawberry blonde demanding their attention. 

She’s much more stunning than Stiles remembers, her floral blue dress fitted at the waist hugs her hourglass figure in all the right places, with her hair pulled back and a braid working as a headband leaving her lovely face fully visible, her makeup is flawless and her big hazel eyes are beautiful, even if they’re more brown than green and missing speckles of grey to be perfect. 

“Stiles, right? I remember you, we used to have some classes together.” She tells him more than asks, with the decisiveness and confidence Stiles remembers. 

“Yeah, that’s me.” He says with a smile. 

“So how it’s living with Derek? Are you liking the pack?” He sees Allison rapidly elbow her on the side, they exchange looks before Lydia crosses her arms and looks to the opposite side, red covering her face in embarrassment. 

It’s not the first time one of them uses that word before trying to cover it the next second. First Stiles thought they’re a gang called the wolf pack, with the leather jackets and all. But knowing Scott, the guy’s morals would never let him join a gang even if he is the only one with a motorcycle. So his latest theory is that they use Derek’s love for wolves stuff to mock him, since wolves’ jokes seem to be the most common around the house, once he even heard Isaac treat Derek by Alpha. 

“It’s fine, I know that’s your way of making fun of Derek’s obsession with wolves. Thought I don’t know why nobody has let me in on the joke yet.” 

All three turn to him with a confused look, Lydia seems to be the first to shake it off and opens her mouth to say something when a hand lightly squeezes his shoulder and he hears Derek say “Maybe you won’t be out of the loop for long, I’ll tell you later. But for now why don’t you guys close the door and join us in the living room?” 

"Sure” Scott says before leading them out of the hallway.

After some hello’s and hugs they return to their previous seats, except for Scott who sits on the floor by Allison’s legs while she takes his former seat on the couch and Lydia takes the vacant one to his right. 

The movie they end up choosing is some boring romantic comedy to which Stiles loses interest 20 minutes in, instead he looks around the room at everyone stopping on Derek without even noticing, that is until Derek looks at him a couple of minutes later and raises one of his thick eyebrows in a questioning look, Stiles automatically turns away feeling his face heat up. He avoids looking at Derek the rest of the movie, running to his room the moment everyone leaves.

It seems like strawberry blonde goddesses aren’t his kind of deities anymore, handsome greek gods on the other hand…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, I know I own you guys a big apology. It's been to long and I'm sorry for that.  
> But I'm back now and will try to stop being lazy and update more often.  
> At least Stiles has come to terms with his feeling, that's progress, right?  
> Anyway, thanksfor your patience, I love you guys.  
> Hugs and kisses and remember Kudos = Love


	7. Chapter 7

For the first time in a long time Derek feels practically whole again. His pack is all back (even if Jackson is still in London. He never felt like pack anyway and if it wasn’t for the high feeling of just turning into an Alpha, Derek would never have bitten him), his home is finished and constantly full of people again and there is no immediate threat. For the moment he’s at peace, even if having at least one of the teenagers (when not all 7) constantly in his house drives him a little crazy. Like Stiles is doing right now, yesterday (the day after all pack was back) Stiles got a weekend part-time job offer in the town’s Video Store, which he accepted and is supposed to start tomorrow, but an hour ago he got another offer as a waiter at a pizza place this one a full-time job with only night shifts, and now he wants to give up the video store offer for the pizza one because he wants to pay Derek back and start paying bills around the house and Derek is so tired of the same old argument he could claw his ears out just so he doesn’t have to listen to it again.

“Okay, Stiles, let’s forget for a moment all the good reasons I already gave you like how serving tables is stressing and difficult compared to a video store job and that you are just a teenager and if you take that job you’ll be out at least until 1am.” He says in a tired tone “Just remember this, you gave your word to the video store guy on how you’d take the job, you signed a contract…”

“An experimental contract, I can give up without outcomes in the first fifteen days!” Stiles shouts interrupting Derek.

“Doesn’t matter, you gave your word Stiles, that in itself should count more than any contract.” Derek tries.

“Yeah…” He seems to consider it “But-”

“No buts Stiles, please take the part-time job. It’s not save for you to be out so late, I don’t care if you take all the time in the world to pay me back as long as you’re safe and sound every night at home with me.” That wasn’t exactly what he wanted to say, but it's still the truth.

Derek sees Stiles mouth open but no sound comes of it, the only sound Derek actually hears is Stiles’ heartbeat going through the roof, Stiles himself is getting redder by the second as Derek confusion grows. After a couple of seconds Stiles mouth closes and the boy shakes himself slightly before saying “Okay” and practically running out of the room.  
Derek ends giving up on trying to know what just happened and is just happy he won and Stiles will go for the Video Store job.

\------

After that peace seems to be restored to the Hale house, Stiles seems to be happy after his first weekend of work bringing a bunch of movies the pack spends the whole Monday watching, they also end up sleeping in the house that night. Waking Derek the next morning with the sound of something crashing in the kitchen.  
When he gets there he barely has time to deflect a pancake flying towards his face, the kitchen is a mess, chunks of food everywhere and shattered pieces of glass in the floor by the sink, the six teenagers responsible for the mess scattered around the room.

It’s too early for this shit, Derek doesn’t feel like dealing with this right now, and that’s basically what he tells them, in fewer words of course. “I want this clean before lunch.”

“Yes Alpha.” Is the answer he gets and that would be fine if it wasn’t Stiles to give it. The mood in the room is suddenly tense everyone turns to look at Stiles, who seems unimpressed and just answers their stares with a “What?”

A couple of seconds pass before Erica bursts into laughter, lighting the mood again. Stiles was just going along with what he thinks is a joke and at a certain point in the future Derek will have to rectify that but right now he doesn’t care. “Whatever, just have everything clean before lunch.”

“Yes Alpha!” They all answer in unison.

Derek turns to the living room where the only other person who doesn’t act like 5 years old is, and takes a seat on the couch. “Shouldn’t you be in the kitchen having fun with the others?”

“If you consider getting cake batter all over your hair and blueberry jam in your eyes fun, why don’t you go join them?” It’s Lydia’s answer, Derek can see her point even if he thinks she shouldn’t be so strict with her image. It took her a long time to feel comfortable with being something more than the beautiful high school queen, like being a smart, independent woman with a real personality, even if she could use loosen up a bit and enjoy being a teenager more.  
She already came a long way so Derek doesn’t say anything instead he goes up to get ready, after all he still has one order of a customized rocking chair to finish. 

The teens don’t leave until after noon (kitchen already clean), it’s hot and sunny outside so they decided to go to the city pool leaving Derek to work in peace.

\-----

When Stiles gets home that night he’s wearing a sleepy smile on his face and an obvious sunburn on his shoulders, Derek glares at him for that but Stiles just gives him a loopy smile, offering Derek a white bag with a container that smells like Thai food, “For you” the teen mumbles before he ruffles the wolf’s hair and heads up the stairs. Derek is too dumbstruck by the gesture to say or do anything only moving after Stiles vanishes from the stairs, he can hear the shower on as he opens the container, siting by the kitchen island to eat. By the time he’s finished Stiles is already in bed asleep.

\-----

The next day is a quieter one, only the two of them home, Derek’s at the desk answering his sisters’ emails and Stiles is lying lazily on the couch watching TV, that’s how they spend their morning.

For lunch Derek makes egg salad which they eat in the living room, the plates stay in the coffee table, both to lazy to get up they marathon series all afternoon and before evening Derek has to stop Stiles’ hand from scratching his shoulder raw.

“Stop that.” Derek growls.

“But it’s itchy.” Stiles whines like a child, trying to get his hand free from the wolf’s grip.

“Scratching it won’t help. Did you put lotion on it?” Derek takes pity on him and lets his wrist go, the teen massages it dramatically making Derek roll his eyes. 

“On most of it yes, I can’t really reach the back.” He protests.

“Go get the cream then.”

“Whaaaat?” Stiles fully turns to look at him “Are you going to rub my back?” He’s all red now, it’s kind of cute…

“I’m going to put lotion in your sunburn since you can’t reach it.” Technically yes, he’ll be rubbing Stiles back, but that sounds weird. 

He sighs “Just go get the bottle.”

Stiles is out of the couch and running up the stairs in a second, Derek actually smiles at his sudden energy, seconds later the boy comes down at a much slower pace.  
He gives Derek the bottle before taking his shirt off and sitting crossed legs under him on the couch, back turned to Derek. 

Derek’s hand moves on its own traveling down Stiles spine, the teens back arches a little and Derek pulls his hand away. “I-I’ll start now.” He can feel his cheeks getting as pink as Stiles’ shoulders.

He takes Stiles silence as permission depositing a good amount of the white lotion on his hand before placing it on Stiles, as soon as the hand touches his back the teen sobs loudly “Oh My God!” Derek instantly freezes “The cold feels so good!” 

At ease for knowing he didn’t hurt Stiles he continues his administration, Stiles’ back isn’t as bad as he thought it would be, the shoulders are a little red but not extremely, a little of skin is flaking off on his right shoulder but not enough to make it disgusting, and if having his hands all over the smooth, not disgusting at all, skin of the teen wasn’t difficult enough, the some small sounds of pleasure Stiles is releasing aren’t really helping to keep Derek's imagination from thinking about what other things he could be doing to get those same sounds out of Stiles, if a little louder.  
He rushes spreading the cream so he doesn’t do something stupid, like nip at the neck presented before him, his wolf thinks he should and he's having a difficult time remembering why he shouldn’t.  
Stiles is still letting a small moan free every couple of seconds so Derek decides to tickle him, maybe that will lighten the mood. It doesn’t, Stiles loses control while laughing letting himself fall back into Derek’s arms, head resting on his shoulder, the boy's laughter slowly fades as he looks up at Derek, eyes fixating on his mouth, little by little Stiles moves closer his eyes searching Derek’s, but what he sees there makes him pull back, fast. And if Stiles reaction wasn’t enough he can feel the wolf surfacing, Derek closes his eyes to hold it in.

“What the h-”Stiles starts as Derek opens his eyes making sure they are their usual color again “Uh? I could swear for a second there your…” the words fade as the teen looks at him confused.

“My what Stiles?” Derek challenges, doesn’t matter the moment was broken.

“Your eyes, they’re red.”

Derek laughs bitterly “That doesn’t make any sense. Maybe the sun burned your brain too.”  
He gets up making sure to look at Stiles so the teen will see his perfectly normal eyes.

“AH AH AH! Very funny Derek.” 

“I’m going to order pizza. Bacon, right?” Food is the best way to change topics with Stiles.

“Yes please!” Stiles yells as he leaves the room.

The rest of the night is also quiet, not the warm peaceful kind they had before, no, that was gone, more like awkward-tense, at least to Derek, Stiles seemed unaware of it to deep into his own thoughts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I was trying to make this a fun chapter, yeah... that didn't work.  
> I needed something to fill the space before the next fixed point and advance the story at the same time.  
> I actually like this chapter, Stiles gets a job, the pack has some fun, domestic and romantic stuff happens and a little 'Stiles finding out about werewolves' tease.  
> Now you guys tell me if you like it. :)  
> Hugs and kisses, and remember Kudos = Love


	8. Chapter 8

Stiles spends the night fiddling in his bed, his mind running a thousand thoughts an hour. Mostly skipping from the thought of almost kissing Derek to being sure Derek’s eyes had turned red for a second, back to thinking about the almost kiss again.   
He gives up on the red eyes matter, because that’s impossible, maybe it was the lights or maybe the sun really did mess with his brain. The important thing is, he and Derek almost kissed! And if Stiles hadn’t been an idiot a pulled away there would be no almost in that sentence! That might have been his one chance to kiss the gorgeous man and he blew it up, and now he’s going to be forever alone.

Or maybe not… it’s not like Derek was the one to pull away, Stiles did, Derek looked totally on board with some lip on lip action, Derek was also the one who offered to put lotion on Stiles, and he didn’t forget how Derek had run is fingers down his spine before even opening the lotion bottle, making Stiles whole body shiver. So maybe not all hope was lost, perhaps Derek was into him too. But if he was why not make a move? It’s not like Stiles could intimidate him, no, Stiles was a skinny little brat, too young to intimidate anyone. Derek was the intimidating one.

Oh God! That could totally be it. How didn’t he think of that before? Derek with all his morals probably thought about statutory rape every time he looked at Stiles, that’s ridiculous, in little more than a month Stiles’ll be 18. And if Derek thinks Stiles would jump into his bed before that, well… who is Stiles kidding? His totally right, Stiles’d jump at any chance to get in Derek’s bed.   
But anyway, if that’s what is keeping Derek for making a move, he can definitely wait. The problem is, if he knows anything about Derek by now is that Derek Hale is a soft marshmallow rolled into a very hard shell of angst and self-loathing, and the age of consent in the state of California is probably just one of the problems in the older man’s mind.

After that conclusion Stiles passes one hour looking at the ceiling mourning they non existing relationship. And then he decides, he’s not going to let Derek ruining what can be the best thing ever to happen to both of them. He’s going to show Derek ‘I don’t believe I deserve nice things’ Hale, that he does, he does deserve nice things. He’s going to woo Derek so hard that in a month he won’t have any excuses to not date Stiles!

\------

Turns out operation “Wooing Derek Hale” is harder than he thought, especially when the target has barely spent more than 5 consecutive minutes in his presence all day. He didn’t even have lunch with Stiles and they always eat together, instead he took his plate to the woodshop where he’s been all day. It’s not just an obstacle in his plan, it makes him doubt all his previous conclusions. Derek is avoiding him, why? Does he regret what didn’t even happen yesterday? Is it repulsive even to look at his face? Is he mad at Stiles? Does he hate him?

Oh God! He can’t have Derek hate him, he just can’t. He swears to never try to kiss Derek again as long as the older man doesn’t hate him. Derek is the most important person in Stiles live, he can lose him too. It’s not even because he would be homeless, it’s just… he only saw him two times today and he already misses his presence, what will Stiles do if he never gets to see him again?

Fuck, he’s too close to a panic attack _‘Calm down Stiles, calm down’ _he says to himself, breathes slowly and thinks about the two interactions he had with Derek today, one this morning when Derek left the bathroom, in his dark jeans, hair wet and without a shirt. And how after his joke about how steaming hot it was all of a sudden, because you see Derek is hot and he had just ended showering so there was steam, he gets how stupid it was now, but Derek didn’t seem disgusted at that, though he did run away from him there. But at lunch he did complement Stiles’ chicken parmesan and didn’t sound mad at all, of course after he told Stiles it’s one of his favorite dishes and maybe he could do it more, Stiles had answered “Sure, I will do anything you want.” In what he hopes was a seductive voice, that’s when Derek turned red, ran into the woodshop and hasn’t come out since.__

__So maybe he doesn’t hate him, maybe he’s just embarrassed and maybe Stiles is just trying to be really positive so he doesn’t collapses to the ground and dies crying for lack of air._ _

__\-----_ _

__It’s been two hours since Stiles’ almost panic attack, and he isn’t feeling all that better, it’s seven pm and Derek hasn’t reappeared since one pm, even when Derek is at a deadline he always stops before six, usually to ask Stiles what he wants for dinner, but not today.  
Stiles gets this sick feeling in his stomach, this is his worst day since he set foot on this house, he’d a lot of weird days, most were amazing, today was his first bad day. He doesn’t want it to be like this. Operation Woo Derek Hale has been a failure and is from this moment on cancelled, new operation Getting Derek Hale On His Good Side Again was now in action._ _

__He gets up from the couch and doesn’t stop until he’s knocking on the woodshop’s door, after a muffed ‘Yeah?’ he opens it.  
Derek has his torso spread over a cherry wood bed headboard, in a grey tank top and all sweaty… and that’s so not fair. Stiles had just given up on wooing him, why does he have to look so damn hot all the time, fuck everything._ _

__“Uh, are you okay?”_ _

__Derek stops and looks at him “Yes, why?”_ _

__“Well, because it’s past seven and you never are here until this late.”_ _

__“Oh.” Derek says like he didn’t realize it has this late “I guess I got lost in my thoughts, are you hungry? Is that it?”_ _

__“A little, yes.” That was a big fat lie, Stiles stomach was so twisted he thinks even a glass of water he’d throw up. “But you are the one who should be hungry you haven’t felt here since lunch.”_ _

__“I’m okay, Stiles, I’d so much on my mind that I must have forgotten.” Does that mean that like Stiles he hasn’t stopped thinking about yesterday? And is that a good or bad thing?_ _

__“Wait, did you forget to get hungry, is that what you’re saying?” Stiles questions with a smile._ _

__And Derek smiles back, Stiles feels like a humongous weigh just fell from his back._ _

__“Yeah, I guess.” The older man answers, still smiling._ _

__“Well, we can’t have any of that, better get you something to eat before you faint and fall head first into some sharp object, can you imagine? There’d be blood everywhere.” Derek frowns at that, one eyebrow going up, it just makes Stiles smile brighter._ _

__“So, do you know what you want to eat?”_ _

__“Is pizza okay?” Derek answers as he cleans his hands._ _

__“Sure.” And that’s when he leaves not wanting to push his luck, the small talk was great and he has a phone call to make._ _

__\-----_ _

__Twenty minutes later they’re still waiting for the pizza, Derek took a quick shower and is now organizing his tools but with the door open. Stiles decided to take to plates from the cupboard, he’s going to set the table so Derek doesn’t get to run away, at least that was his plan until he sees two lights from the kitchen’s window, not one from a pizza scooter, two lights from a car he instantly recognizes, even with the sun practically set there’s still enough light for Stiles to recognize the silhouette of the women who opens the car door after turning of the car lights and engine._ _

___Stiles feels the weight of the plates leaving his hands and in the back of his mind he does register them breaking, but he’s frozen in place, it’s starting to get hard to breathe and the panic attack he spent most of the afternoon trying to avoid comes now in full force.  
"Oh God! They found me, they’re going to take me."  
For a moment it’s all he can think, and for a split of a second he thinks Derek his going to let them since he hate’s Stiles now. That’s when he falls to the ground, hands trembling, chest fighting hard to breathe, his eyes watering.   
That’s also when he sees Derek kneeling by his side, looking so concern, God, he looks like he’s the one panicking _'No, no don’t look like that' _he wants to say but his mouth is too busy trying to get air to his lungs.___

____“Stiles, Stiles! Look at me.” He feels Derek take one of his trembling hands on his._ _ _ _

____“Hey, hey, Stiles look.” He says, this time in a much soothing tone, catching Stiles' attention, he tries to focus on hazel-green eyes._ _ _ _

____“Hey, it’s okay.” Derek’s voice is so calm, Stiles finds himself believing him._ _ _ _

____“It’s okay.” He takes Stiles other hand._ _ _ _

____“Do it with me, In” he inhales for two or three seconds “Out” and he exhales, encouraging Stiles to copy him._ _ _ _

____Derek repeats this two more times before Stiles joins him, he can feel his heart subside, the air finally reaching his lungs when the doorbell rings, he turns to look at the door and remembers why everything is not okay._ _ _ _

____Derek seems to sense all his hard work to calm Stiles, going to waste.  
He takes Stiles’ head into his hands an turns it so he can only look at Derek. “Stiles, look at me everything is okay.”_ _ _ _

____“No, it’s not, they found me.” He hears himself say, Derek gives him a confused look. “They’re going to take me, please don’t let them take me Derek.” He has to pause for a couple of seconds to breath, Derek's expression changed his eyes looking sharp, glaring at the door “Even if you hate me.”_ _ _ _

____Derek takes his hands of the teen's face like it burned him giving Stiles this expression, which the close Stiles can come to describe as is heartbreak._ _ _ _

____He takes Stiles’ hands again “Stiles, look at me and pay attention .”_ _ _ _

____For his tone it seems imperative that Stiles does what he says, so he obeys “I don’t hate you. I could never hate you, and I’m not letting anyone take you anywhere that you don’t want to go willingly. Do you understand?”_ _ _ _

____He seems so genuine Stiles can help nod in confirmation. The doorbell rings again and his heartbeat does go up but he feels much calmer now, knows he’s save with Derek._ _ _ _

____Derek pulls him up “Now go upstairs while I take care of this.”_ _ _ _

____And that’s exactly what he does, Derek accompanies him to the stairs not opening the door until Stiles is out of sight._ _ _ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TA TA TAAA!  
> The Bates are finally in the picture, so what do you guys think Derek is going to do?
> 
> Hugs and kisses, and remember Kudos = Love


	9. Chapter 9

Derek has been locked on his woodshop all day, he can’t really help it. Unlike what he believed Stiles didn’t try to confront him about their moment yesterday, nor about the red eyes. Instead he’s taking advantage of every moment to hit on Derek and even though his lines are terrible they’re working, any show of interest from Stiles would work, his wolf already wants to jump Stiles on a daily bases, imagine when there’s an open invitation.  
And that’s so much worse that a confrontation because that means Stiles wants to try again, and it doesn’t matter if Derek or is wolf want it too, that’d just be a bad idea.  
As if the age difference wasn’t enough, there’s the fact that Stiles just escaped an abusive home, he needs time to heal before jumping into a relationship as deep as the one Derek would want, a normal teenager would have difficulty comprehending such commitment, how could Stiles be expected to. And God forbid Stiles from accepting it just because he feels he’s in debt to Derek. Derek would rather be alone for the rest of his life, besides Stiles doesn’t know about werewolves or banshees or mates or anything supernatural.

Derek actually has been thinking on how to tell him for a week now, but the thought that that knowledge may completely change Stiles’ view on Derek makes him give up before even one word leaves is mouth.  
So many people can’t seem to get over the werewolf fact, running away from friends, lovers even relatives, who says how someone like Stiles will react, someone who’s dealt with real monsters. 

So he’s locked himself on the shop away from temptations. For a moment he almost goes out when Stiles’ heartbeat gets to loud but its back to normal an instant later, therefore he focuses on his work, he had to engrave the names of the couple on the headboard he’s working on, and now has to finish some handcrafted flowers to adorn them, it’s almost done and he still has a month to finish it but why not finish it earlier?

\----

The moment there’s a knock on his door he actually jumps, too deep in his own thoughts to hear Stiles approach the door. 

The young man wanted to know about dinner, apparently it’s already past seven (Derek didn’t even notice the time pass). 

Looking at the boy by the door he feels his heart tight, Stiles has his hands close together in a timid manner, his whole stance is of someone shy who’s afraid to do something wrong, Derek wants to pull him close and make him understand how perfect he is. But he doesn’t, it’s for the best really. Instead he smiles at the jokes and asks for pizza because it’s Stiles’ second favorite food.

After he leaves Derek chooses to stop working, taking a quick shower to get rid of sweat, ruffling Stiles hair on the way down to sheer up the teen. 

He’s sorting through his tools when a loud crash comes from the kitchen followed by the sound of Stiles’ heart beating faster than a hummingbird’s wings. He runs out to find Stiles falling to the floor, something upset him deeply, there’s the sound of car doors closing outside, whoever they’re they trigged a panic attack on Stiles, a panic attack that’s escalating quickly, he needs to stop it before Stiles faints or worst.

“Stiles, Stiles! Look at me.” He tries, taking the teen’s hand, his voice is to strong, he tries again softly this time and again and again until Stiles is breathing with him.  
It’s working, until the doorbell rings and Stiles’ panic comes back. He has to stop it, fast. Taking the boy’s face into his hands he reassures him that everything is okay, however what the teen says next both infuriates and breaks his heart at the same time.

“No, it’s not, they found me. They’re going to take me, please don’t let them take me Derek.” By the end Derek is sure Stiles is talking about his foster family, how dare they come here after his boy, he’s going to rip their hearts out! And then Stiles continues. “Even if you hate me.” 

Derek flicks away as if burned, how? How could Stiles ever think Derek hated him? What did he do to give the young man such impression? Doesn’t matter, right now he has to stop the panic attack. After making sure Stiles is paying attention he says in the most sincere voice he can master. 

“I don’t hate you. I could never hate you, and I’m not letting anyone take you anywhere that you don’t want to go willingly. Do you understand?” Stiles is looking at him with wide eyes, but the small nod he gives and his heartbeat getting close to steady shows that he did. 

There’s another ring at the door and the teen’s heart jumps a little, but he seems mostly okay. Derek pulls him up and sends him upstairs not opening the door until he’s sure Stiles is out of sight. 

\------

As he walks to the door he hears a woman’s voice whisper “Be quite and let me do the talking, we need to get the brat today, because even if the judge agreed to do it by only ten percent there’s no way he’ll give us the cash if we can’t present the kid to the courtroom tomorrow.”

Derek has to will his claws to disappear before opening the door, so that’s why they came after Stiles, they got some dirty judge to give them power over the boy’s account by getting a percentage himself and they need him before tomorrow, well bad luck, there’s no way Stiles is leaving with them tonight, or ever.

He opens the door to be greeted by the sight of what looks to be a sweet and loving couple as Stiles had described, the woman must be as tall as Allison, her cute yellow dress with soft pink flowers that match her lipstick fits her slightly voluptuous waist impeccably, her smile is kind but makes Derek’s every instinct scream fake, she almost looks like those 50’s pictures of house wives with the dark brown curls molding her face. She extends a hand with perfectly manicured pink nails for Derek to shake, which he doesn’t, instead turning his attention to the man slightly behind her. He’s got at least four inches on Derek but doesn’t look like much of a threat at first, with his small beer belly covered in a bluish plaid shirt, his round face, and small hands, but at a second glance it’s easy to see how those arms could cause some damage, they’re muscular not fat like one would think at first, probably as thick as Derek’s, Stiles would never stand a chance.

He closes his eyes for a second to calm himself and so as not to punch anyone. When he opens them the women has lowered her hand, smile still in place the man on the other hand is starting to look annoyed making Derek want to punch him even more.

“I’m sorry to bother you at such late hour Mr.Hale, but we have reason to believe you have been harboring our run away son in your house.” The woman says in her soft voice.

“I’m sorry, but who’re you and why’d you think I’ve someone else’s kid in my house?” He has to be smart about this, after all there are laws in place for cases like Stiles’, he can’t just maim those peoples so they can’t ever lift a finger again against anyone, doesn’t matter how much he wants to.

“My name is Juliet Bates and this is my husband James. And you misunderstand, Stiles is not a child, he’s a teenager, a seventeen years old teenage boy whose description matches the one you have been seen with around town for the last month, if some of the doctors at the hospital are to be believed.” Her voice is still disgustingly sweet, even as she accuses him.

“Well maybe they aren’t and even if they’re, why would someone who’s almost old enough to leave on their own, run away?” Of course they went to the hospital where Stiles’ comatose dad is, why any of the doctors would give them that information and Derek’s home address that’s the real question, because he knows Melissa would never allow it. 

“You know how hotheaded teenagers are.” James huffs out as he takes his hands of his jeans’ pockets, Juliet glares at her husband until the man looks away.

“Actually I don’t, since I never had one, but why don’t you enlighten me?”

“Sincerely Mr.Hale it’s none of your concern. It’s a family matter, if you could be so kind as to tell was where the boy is…” Her sweetness seems to fade as she speaks.

“Actually you made it my concern the moment you stepped into my porch and accused me of hiding someone in my own house, so if you want this conversation to continue you better change your tone!” He has to try and get the couple to confess something before his needs to claw them gets the best of him. 

The women seems to consider her options and does change her tone and posture to a sad smiles and shaky voice.

“I’m sorry, you’re right, we shouldn’t just demand such things without giving something in return but you must understand our desperation to find him, we’re so scare of what can happen to our baby, alone out there, we just want him back where we know he’ll be save.” That and the fake teary eyes are the last straw, Derek can’t keep pretending anymore. 

“Oh, you can be sure he is where he’ll be save! Where greedy liars like you and your abusive husband can never get to him again!” He’s furious, holding his wolf at bay for the moment but one wrong word from those people and he’ll just let it go.

“So you admit to be hiding him. And not only that, you believed in all the boy’s lies. You aren’t the first Mr.Hale, yes, we did adopt him only a few years back but don’t think for one second we ever mistreated that boy, I’m so sad he wasn’t accepted us yet, for I love that boy as if he was my own.” Her voice would make anyone who listens believe it but Derek can hear every single lie blip in her heart and he wants to pull it out so it will never make a noise again.

“I’ll give you ten seconds to get out of my propriety and never come back or I’ll make sure you never lie to me again.” He’s certain he growled the words more then said them, and if the way the woman steps back and eyes wide is any indication, he’s right.

James on the other hand seems furious “Yeah… No! I’ll just go get the little brat myself!” 

As he tries to wall past Derek, the werewolf catches his arm and pushes the man hard enough for him to fall down the porch steps behind them. Juliet running to her husband’s side.

“I don’t think you heard me, get out now!” 

But the man doesn’t seem to be listening this time either since the moment he’s up he runs in Derek’s direction right hand in a fist aimed at Derek’s face, which the werewolf easily stops with is left hand, squeezing James fist until he hears a couple of bones break, the man screaming in agony doesn’t make Derek want to let him go, instead he presses his right hand to the man’s throat tightening his grip, lets seem how tough this guy is now that his opponent isn’t a skinny teenage boy. 

Beside him Juliet starts to panic “Let him go! Let him go or I’ll call the cops!”

He turns to look at her, loosening his grip without letting go “Then do it, call the cops. Even if they don’t listen to Stiles they’ll at least listen to me. I’ll just have to make it so you don’t get to take Stiles until after tomorrow, and then all the trouble you went to find someone as disgusting as you to extort a innocent kid, will go to waste.” Derek smirks as the woman freezes on the spot. “You’ll never get the money and if we’re lucky maybe you’ll be the ones getting arrested, after all I’m sure Stiles isn’t the first one on whom you pulled this scheme, probably won’t be that hard to build a case against you.” Juliet looks at him shocked, her mouth opens to say something only to close a moment later, her eyes turn to James who’s straggling to breath.

He tosses the man pass the three steps and into the dirt, his claws and fangs are itching to appear and he’s positive his eyes are red by now, never before was so difficult to keep from turning even if he can feel is mind in perfect control. He turns to them again, James coughing as Juliet helps him up, the eyes of both covering in horror as they look up at Derek.

“So I’ll tell you one last time, get out of here, disappear, and pray Stiles’ll never want justice for what you did to him, because if he does… I swear I’ll find you.” 

The Bates seem to be frozen by fear, only sifting into motion when Derek roars at them. Running to the car, James arm over Juliet’s shoulders as he’s still to weak to run alone.

Derek stays put until the car disappears, to be sure it’s safe to go in, only then does he turn his back getting inside the house and closing the door. He rests his head against it, trying to calm himself and force his now extended claws an fangs to go away, when he hears a “Oh my God!”

Stiles is in the last step of the stairs looking directly at him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone, I'm really sleepy right now so I only revised the chapter one time today.  
> And since it's usually full of grammar errors it will probably double today. (I'm sorry)  
> Still didn't find a beta to help me, if you want to do it, or only to leave a comment or say hi, go here on [tumblr](http://nerdyangelofthelord.tumblr.com/ask)   
> And it's already past 2am so I'm going to sleep, goodnight everyone.  
> Hugs and kisses and remember Kudos = Love


End file.
